The birth of a new thread dedicated to sharing our newly-acquired "old" LP's.
Oooh, good one Steve! I used to have that Little Richard boxset, but for some reason got rid of it before I left L.A. The 50’s Rock ’n’ Rollers were singles artists, not album ones, and I have his Specialty Records hits on a great Ace Records (U.K. label) LP. I also have a few Ace label LP’s of Everly Brothers recordings, and the sound quality of those recordings is simply amazing. I have the same albums on Rhino Records LP’s, and the Ace LP’s are better. To hear where John & Paul got their vocal harmonies, listen to the Brothers (and Buddy Holly). I picked up only one new disc on Record Store Day: a 10" LP containing the eight songs The Flamin’ Groovies recorded in 1972 at Rockfield Studios with Dave Edmunds producing, demos made for United Artists. The title is: I’ll Have A...Bucket Of Brains. (?!) Speaking of The Everly Brothers and Dave Edmunds: Dave is a huge fan of the Brothers, and he and Nick Lowe included a 7" disc of them performing Everly Brothers songs in the original pressing of their Rockpile album. |
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Once a year Music Millennium in Portland (featured in one of Michael Fremer’s Analog Planet YouTube videos) has a sidewalk sale: boxes and boxes of used LP’s, priced to sell. I guess it’s done partly to make some room in their LP racks (which fill half the ground floor of the store, and almost the entire mezzanine), which are really full. It’s a 4-day event, but of course I was there at 10:00 on the first day (this past Friday). Here’s what I nabbed: - Stephane Grappelli/David Grisman: Live (Warner Brothers Records). With Mike Marshall, Mark O’Connor, Rob Wasserman, Tiny Moore. $3.00. - Jerry Lee Lewis: s/t (Elektra Records). Produced by Bones Howe, with Hal Blaine and James Burton. $2.99. - Jerry Lee Lewis: Southern Roots (Mercury Records). Produced by Huey Meaux, with Al Jackson, Duck Dunn, Steve Cropper, Augie Meyer, Carl Perkins, Tony Joe White. $3.99 - The Whites: Old familiar Feeling (Curb Records). Produced by Ricky Skaggs, husband of one of the White sisters. $2.00. - Asylum Choir (Leon Russell and Marc Benno): II (Shelter Records). $2.00. - Tracy Nelson: Homemade Songs (Flying Fish Records). $2.00. - Nicolette Larson: s/t (Warner Brothers Records). $2.00. - Art Garfunkel: Angel Clare (Columbia Records). With J.J. Cale, Fred Carter Jr., Tommy Tedesco, Jerry Garcia, Carl Radle. $1.00. - Jesse Winchester: Let The Rough Ride Drag (Bearsville Records). $1.00. - Henry Mancini: Mr. Lucky Goes Latin (RCA Living Stereo, black label). $1.00. - Wanda Landowska: J.S. Bach The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 (RCA Victor Red Seal Records, mono). $1.00. - Nikolaus Harnoncourt w/Concentus Musicus Wien: Handel’s Water Music (Telefunken Records). $1.00. MM also had cartons of over-stock new LP’s on the sidewalk, so I picked up Joachim Cooder (Ry’s son): Over That Road I’m Bound (Nonesuch Records). Marked down from $20.99 to $10.99; and Sturgill Simpson: Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 2 (Hightop Mountain Records/Thirty Tigers, Indie Retail exclusive on opaque blue and white swirl vinyl, glow-in-the-dark jacket). Marked down from $21.99 to $13.99. I put all the LP’s in the car, and headed inside the store. There I found and bought: - John Stewart: Willard (Capitol Records). With Carole King, Russ Kunkel, James Taylor, Doug Kershaw, Peter Asher, Fred Carter Jr., Norman Putman. $6.00. - V/A: The Roots Of Rock ’n’ Roll (Savoy Records). With The Ravens, Little Esther, Johnny Otis, Big Maybelle, many others. $7.00. - The Byrds: s/t reunion (Asylum Records). $6.00. - Emmylou Harris: 13 (Warner Brothers Records). Only copy I’ve ever seen. $5.00. - Pearl Harbour: Don’t Follow Me, I’m Lost Too (Warner Brothers Records). This album is from long before I joined her band, only copy I’ve ever seen. $5.00. - The Dillards: Roots And Branches (Anthem Records). $4.00. - Peter Rowan: The First Whippoorwill (Sugar Hill Records). With Sam Bush, Bill Keith, Richard Greene (like Rowan, a member of Seatrain), Buddy Spicher, Roy Huskey Jr. $3.00. - Delaney & Bonnie: D & B Together (Columbia Records). With Bobby Womack, Jim Gordon, Billy Preston, Duane Allman. $5.00 - Delaney & Bonnie: Accept No Substitute (Elektra Records). With Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, Jim Keltner, Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge. $5.00. - Steve Earle And The Del McCoury Band: The Mountain (New West Records, 2-LP’s). $18.99. Then I finally broke down and bought the 4-LP set that has been sitting in Music Millennium for quite a while now, calling my name every time I’m there: The Byrds: Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, RSD/50th Anniversary Legacy Edition (Columbia Records). $69.99 (ouch ;-) . Heading back home to Vancouver, I stopped in my little LRS to have a look see. There I found an LP I have been looking for: - J.J. Cale: Naturally (Shelter Records). The album which provided Eric Clapton his musical blueprint. Often copied (Mark Knopfler, anyone? ;-), never equaled! $25.00. I also found a couple LP’s by a guy I am currently collecting: - Tony Rice: Still Inside (Rounder Records). $20.00. - " " : s/t (Rounder Records). $15.00 Both feature the bass playing of a guy who was in the same San Jose cover band as I in ’71, he leaving as I was entering: Todd Phillips. Todd was heading up to Mill Valley to study mandolin with David Grisman, but David advised him to learn to play upright bass, as there were plenty of great mandolin players but a shortage of bassists. Todd wisely took Grisman’s advice, and carved-out a nice little career for himself. |
Took another trip into the city to my favorite LRS The Vinyl Edge. They've been in the business for over 35 years now while a number of other shops haven't made it. Found a NM copy of Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound with the embossed cover and in shrink in the newly priced bin for $8.99. Also found a nice copy of Jefferson Airplane - Bless Its Pointed Little Head for $7.99. Early RCA pressing with the textured cover. |
Oh man! This SRV album sounds fantastic. I don't understand how to break down the sound of a system by all of the definitions like detail, depth, warmth, etc but I will say this album and especially the song Tin Pan Alley has an airiness to it that is just phenomenal. What is it about these three piece blues bands from Texas. I don't know how a remastered $50 pressing could possibly sound better than the early pressing that I just picked up for $20. |
Today’s catch, all from my two neighborhood shops: - Ian & Sylvia: Greatest Hits (Vanguard, 2-LP set). $9. Includes the Ian Tyson song Neil Young talks about in Johnathan Demme’s documentary film about Neil, Heart Of Gold, entitled "Four Strong Winds". Another is the Bob Dylan/Rick Danko song "This Wheels On Fire", first heard on the Basement Tapes, then on Music From Big Pink. On Ian & Sylvia’s version we hear Fred Carter Jr.---in the group of musicians The Hawks knew in Toronto, Canada, while they were backing Ronnie Hawkins---on guitar, and Kenny Buttrey---the superb drummer on Neil’s Harvest album. - Mark O’Connor: National Junior Fiddle Champion (Rounder Records). $4.99. In the field of Bluegrass (no pun intended ;-), musicians earn their props by entering competitions. Just like a Battle Of The Bands, but on an individual basis. They are also referred to as "cutting sessions", each player attempting to outplay the other, the loser finally admitting defeat. Very humiliating. Mark O’Conner has been a 1st-call Nashville session player for many years, but at the time this album was recorded (August 4th, 1974) he was 12 years old! On the front of the cover in hand-written ink this is written: "John F. Rone. May 8-76". John took real good care of this LP, the only copy I’ve ever seen. - John Sebastian: John B. Sebastian (Reprise, 1st pressing, with textured cover). $3.99. I was a big fan of The Lovin’ Spoonful, so of course bought this album when it was originally released. Then I saw John in the Woodstock movie, and OMG, his hippie raps are SO corny! He’s wearing a tie-dye jean jacket on the back cover of the album, and the lyric sheet is on tie-dye paper. Oy! So I got rid of my original copy in the early-70’s, wanting nothing to do with that kind of silliness. But today I saw this in the rack, and thought "What the heck, let’s give it a listen." I mean, it’s too bad he (and Eric Burton) got swept up in the "Woodstock Generation" movement (it was a "movement" all right ;-), but he WAS a good songwriter and singer. We shall see. Years later John was involved with a great band, NRBQ. - Tom & Jerry: Guitar’s Greatest Hits (Mercury, mono). $2.99. I couldn’t believe it when I saw this LP in the bin! This album was one of my first LP purchases, a couple of years before The British Invasion reached America. In 1962-3 I was really into instrumental Surf Bands, but that doesn’t explain why I would buy this album, it’s cover adorned as it is with pics of three beautiful Gibson acoustic guitars. I loved this album, but I ditched it and many others when I got mt first quality table (a Garrard) in ’68. My old albums had been chewed up by my "kiddie" record player, so I started my LP collection anew. I never again saw a copy of this LP until today. While Tom & Jerry was also the name Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were going by a few years later, THIS Tom & Jerry was the team of Jerry Kennedy and Tommy Tomlinson. Jerry signed his first record deal at the age of 10 (!), and when on to become one of Nashville’s most in-demand session players. Tommy’s first pro gig was as lead guitarist in Johnny Horton’s band (my first LP was Johnny Horton’s Greatest Hits), playing on the well-known songs "North To Alaska", "Sink The Bismark", and "Battle Of New Orleans". This must sound like ancient history to you youngins! |
It’s a great subject matter. I am relatively new to the Audiogon Forums and really enjoy the threads on music and what people have been listening to in all genres of music. I’ve gotten some great suggestions on albums I haven’t heard in years and on some great music that I would never have picked on my own. I made it out to one of our local Record shops a few weeks ago for the first time since the start of the pandemic and it was a great feeling to be thumbing through those albums! |
Ha! I quite agree @tgilb. But I DID kinda misuse the term "old" in the original post. People took that as meaning old as in LP's originally released years ago, so the request for clarification as to what qualifies as old is justified. I actually meant any LP that is not a factory-new/sealed, full-priced, currently in print title. Anything and everything else qualifies: a used copy of an LP currently in print, sealed or opened out-of-print LP's, hard-to-find collectibles, especially if they were found at a non-collectible price! And the back story on how and where the LP was found I find interesting. |
Just picked up a beautiful early pressing of The Butterfield Blues Band 1968 album In My Own Dream on Elektra in the Unipak cover and for $12. And you know what? I didn’t have to use Calculus to determine if it qualified for the OP’s intention on this new thread. Why does it have to be so difficult? Great subject for this new thread! |
@slaw, you question has made me realize that I did not make my qualifier of "old" LP’s for the thread clear in not just definition, but also intent. We all buy basically three "kinds" of LP’s: 1- New releases in still-sealed shrink wrap (or the thick plastic bags MoFi and other audiophile companies put their LP’s in), and LP’s though not new are still in print and available at close to list price in both brick & mortar stores and from online sellers. 2- Pre-owned LP’s (and therefore usually opened) that are still in print. 3- Out of print LP’s. Finding out-of-print LP’s that for whatever reason are not yet in our personal libraries is one of the challenges of record collecting. There are some titles that aren’t that hard to obtain IF you are willing to pay what they are selling for. Paying a hundred dollars for a rare record is not what I wanted this thread to focus on, but sharing a rare record find is fine with me. The fun for me is finding a desired LP for, say, ten bucks or less. Okay, maybe fifteen. Use your own scale for what you are willing to pay for a used LP---those not yet considered "collectible"---that you want. Since we all come from various eras, locales, and backgrounds, reading about other peoples "old" LP finds is a great way to hear about music that we perhaps haven’t heard (or have forgotten about), and that we just may want to investigate. I’m thinking in terms of titles we somehow missed when they were released, or are of music we are just now becoming interested in, or were released before we were even born. My thinking is that new releases and normal in print LP’s are already covered in the "What’s On Your Turntable Tonight" thread. Of course, an out of print LP can be included in the day’s play list, but the story about finding the LP will probably not be mentioned there. That’s what THIS thread is for. No reason it can't also be for findings of in print records that were acquired for far less than list price---a new LP for the price of an old (used) one! |
"You can figure out where the cut off line is for "old music" " Yeah, even a definition of could be a bone of contention.... How about pre bar code? My personal "old music" doesn't start before 1980. More precise really is pre 1970. MY R&R cutoff line is 1980, just before MTV took over the world, Fonzie jumped the shark and extra cheese was standard on popular music. Bdp24- A 1970ish Les Paul or Strat isn't "vintage" to me. I laugh at the values of 1970+ "vintage" stuff at music stores. 1957 sunburst and a 68 Marshall Plexi......now were cookin with gas. We're talkin instruments though, its the player, doin all the noise! Our heroes will sound the same thru cardboard boxes and a diddley bow. |
@slaw: I use the term in reference to used records, not the music itself. But your question is an interesting one. In a recent Daily Audiophilic Show, Steve Guttenberg asked his guest---a dealer in vintage hi-fi equipment---his definition of vintage. Is a piece from the 1980’s "vintage"? When I was dealing vintage drums, I had an old friend (my exact age, within a week)---a drummer---ask me what was considered vintage in the world of drums. I told him I had always thought drums made when we had started playing and later were not vintage, ’cause they were new then. So drums made before we were playing was what "felt" like vintage to me. But that’s on a personal level, not a universal one. Is there even a line that can be drawn, separating vintage from contemporary? If so, I don’t know where that line is. I would prefer to use the term vintage in the same way it is applied in the world of wine: not as a black & white differentiation, but in reference to the specific vintage of a bottle of wine: the date of it’s bottling. In music that would be the year of an album's original release. In record collecting, it’s easy. If you are the second owner of an LP, that record is "old", even if it was released last year. |
Today's booty, from my two LRS and one vintage mall: - Mose Allison: The Best Of (Atlantic Records). $4.99 - Jerry Douglas: Under The Wire (MCA Master Series). $10.00 - Sonny James: The Best Of (Capitol, mono). $2.99 - Nils Lofgren: s/t. (A & M). $7.00 - The Lovin' Spoonful: Everything Playing (Kama Sutra, sealed). $10.00 - Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique; Munch/BSO (RCA shaded dog, mono). $2.99 - Liszt: Piano Concerto No.1 & 2; Brendel (Vox). $2.99 - Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony; Boult/LSO (Angel, 3 LP). $4.99 - Moussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures At An Exhibition; Reiner/CSO (RCA shaded dog, stereo). $15.99 |
This is a timely thread for me. I’m just leaving my brothers home, who’s in the process of culling his 4000+ Vinyl collection. I’m taking about 75, mostly original pressings, from late 60’s into the 70’s. I’m thinking they are all in excellent condition, visually looked at, but will get a good wash and cleaning b/4 my enjoyment begins. To name just a few: Duane Allman Anthology - both volumes Allman Brothers - Eat a Peach Shawn Phillips - Faces & Collaboration Boz Scaggs x4 Styx Jackson Browne x2 Steve Winwood Eric Clapton Cream Jimi Hendrix Cat Stephens CSN&Y Dave Mason x3 Beach Boys Steely Dan x2 Supertramp x3 Stephen Stills Led Zeppelin x4 ......and many, many more! |
"Old LP's" To me, it aint "old" if it's younger than....1980? I finally found a REALLY clean copy of Johnny Winter's 1969 3rd release simply titled "Johnny Winter." Johnny is maybe in my top 5 all time electric guitarists. https://www.discogs.com/Johnny-Winter-Johnny-Winter/release/8297114 One of the few players to own Johnny B Goode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rervO5zUNDI |
Donna loves Patti Smith. I visited this store in Milltown, NJ this past Saturday: https://revillagroovesandgear.com/ Found two Patti LP's for Mother's Day gift for her! She's in Florida, sent her a photo, waiting for her return to listen. |
It was a tragedy that so many of the musical geniuses of the 60’s were lost due to drugs and the pressure to release the next great album. Pet Sounds drove Brian to the edge and Smiley Smile did him in. His genius in writing was surpassed by his genius in the studio. And against all odds Keith keeps on ticking! |
@tgilb: Vertigo was a great label. Interesting artists, good sound. If you ever see a copy of Manfred Mann Chapter Three, buy it. Drummer MIke Hugg had by the time of this album moved to the front of the stage, playing piano and singing (as well as writing). Whereas early Manfred Mann had a slight Jazz influence, by the time of the Chapter Three album they were a full blown Jazz/Rock Fusion band, and a really good one. I know exactly how you feel now having heard the Smiley Smile album. I didn’t know about the Smile album fiasco when I first heard SS in early-68, but it still blew my little 17-year old mind. "Fall Breaks And Back To Winter (W. Woodpecker Symphony)"? WTH?! I had never heard ANYTHING like it. More psychedelic than anything Pink Floyd or The Grateful Dead ever did. Too bad Brian didn’t know when to quit taking Acid and all the rest; it permanently eft him up. |
Following up on The Beach Boys mono post. I picked up a nice early mono pressing of Smiley Smile on Brother Records. I had probably heard Good Vibrations hundreds of times before spinning this record and it was like I was listening to it for the first time. Absolutely amazing. I’ll have to follow up on the suggestion about Pet Sounds on AP. Thanks for that suggestion. I’m a big fan of the mono pressings from the 60’s. Also picked up a nice early pressing of the Dire Straits Love Over Gold on the UK’s Vertigo label at Half Price Books for $10. Another great find was The James Gang’s Thirds album. Very early pressing on ABC Records for $8. Midnight Man sounds fantastic. |
Seeing as I am north of the border, and we are in a lockdown here, going through used bins isn’t possible. Not sure why they don’t think used vinyl is an essential service, clearly the officials in charge don’t get it :) However, as pot is legal in Canada and is used for medicinal purposes, pot stores are an essential service. Just so happens, there is a pot store near the ex’s place that also has a small, but wonderful, record shop in the back. Fancy that :) Found a copy of Joni Mitchell’s “Mingus” which I knew nothing about, but talked about it with the owner and as soon as I realized Jaco played on it, I was in like flint. Also picked up a guilty pleasure :) No, not that, but rather a copy Duran Duran “Rio” The “Mingus” was exactly what I had hoped it would be, with the added benefit of being one of the best pressings I have ever heard! Was a treat after stores being open off and on for the past year. |
@tablejockey: Yep, I played the Blue Cafe a coupla times, one time as a member of The Hillbilly Soul Surfers, an instrumental trio. We shared the stage with The Naughty Ones, the Austin band whose members included singer/songwriter/Ted Roddy and drummer Mike Buck, original drummer of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and current part-owner of Wateroo Records in Austin. When Mike saw we were playing identical drumsets that night (60’s Ludwigs in bdp finish), he suggested we just share the same set. Unfortunately, I’m a lefty, and it’s easier to reset a stage than to reconfigure a drumset. Small world: After leaving the Fab T’s, Mike drummed in The Leroi Brothers, a great 4-piece combo. Evan Johns joined the band for one album, and as fate would have it, I did an album with Evan in the late-90’s. So there we were on the same stage, one former-Evan drummer, one future. What are the chances?! I also did a gig on The Queen Mary, the famous cruise liner permanently moored in Long Beach. I love that row of bars than populate the outdoor "strip" (sidewalks, no streets) by the beach. Geez, this is making me homesick! Your mention of The Foothill Club suggests you may remember my recounting having backed Don & Dewey (label-mates with Little Richard on Specialty Records) on a gig there. What a great place, dripping with 1950’s Rock ’n’ Roll style! I felt out-of-place, what with my long hair ;-) . Dewey didn’t mind, going out of his way to compliment my playing. The drummer on his Specialty recordings was Earl Palmer---one of my three favorites, so I was quite pleased with myself ;-) . |
This is going well! @slaw: Yep, I remember A.B. Skhy, though I’ve never heard them. From the very-early 70’s, right? Wonder what the name means? I remember seeing their name around the Bay Area back then. I also remember seeing the debut Dust album, which I also never heard. Did you know their drummer was later in The Ramones? Marky! @jrw1871: I was a customer of Tom Port way back in the early/mid-90’s. He lived above a small pizza joint near the corner of Ventura and Van Nuys Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, two blocks from my house. He did business out of his apartment, which I visited to buy a copy of the German pressing of Magical Mystery Tour (it is in true stereo, unlike the US and UK LP’s of the time). His apartment was pretty stuffed with LP’s, and his system at the time surprised me: decidedly mid-fi. I had a Townshend Rock table and Decca Cartridge, and Quad ESL’s powered by Atma-Sphere OTL’s. I too end up with LP’s bought at one record store, later used as trading material at another, sometimes making money in the process ;-) . @fuzztone: The saddest thing I ever experienced (well, aside from the death of my Mother when I was 15) was seeing Brian Wilson live on the tour for his first solo album. His singing was not only awful (as was his piano playing; they had the sound of it going only to his monitor, not the house sound system), but as he spoke between songs, the depth of his brain damage became apparent. Very, very sad. I have deliberately avoided ever again seeing him live. I went to the album release event for his debut album at Tower on Sunset Blvd. I brought not just my copy of the album for him to sign, but also my copy of the "Caroline, No" 7" 45 RPM single. Though on The Beach Boys Pet Sounds album, the song was released as a Brian Wilson single, the BB name appearing nowhere. Odd! Anyway, I handed him the 45, and the deepest look of wistfulness enveloped his eyes as they perused the label. It was heartbreaking, I having to hold back my tears. Years later I saw him in Tower Records, and this time his eyes were filled with paranoia. He was obviously scared to death. I’m surprise they let him walk around alone. My first live Rock ’n’ Roll show was The Beach Boys at The San Jose Civic Auditorium in the Summer of ’64. I passed on using my ticket to see The Beatles at The Cow Palace that Summer, still not completely sold on them. My Mother used my ticket, and went herself. She was pretty hip, having Johnny Cashes Ring Of Fire LP, which I listened to a lot on our Magnavox console. In the Summer of ’75, having spent a year recording demos with a great songwriter, he and I made a pilgrimage from San Jose to Brian’s house in Bel-Air. We brought a reel-to-reel copy of the recordings, intending to interest him into producing an album (we at the time did not know about his mental/emotional condition). I pressed the buzzer located on the wall next to the wrought iron gate, and Marilyn answered, asking "Who is it?" That I had not anticipated, and replied "Is Brian home?" She said "Yes he is. Who is it?" I explained who we were, and the reason for our visit, and she instructed me to lay the tape against the gate. Having reluctantly done that, Kent and I walked up the driveway of the house next door, until we were positioned so as to be able to see into the dining room of Brian’s "house" (an old Spanish-style mansion, really). The thin drapes were drawn, but we could see a large, hulking figure sitting in a high-backed chair at the table. It was obviously Brian. I don’t know what we were expecting to see, but Brian sat in chair, not moving an inch in the half-hour we stood there. Thank God the neighbor didn’t see and call the Bel-Air security team! |
Inspired by this thread, I went to Goodwill today. I forgot to buy a few of the Gordon Lightfoot records out of which one (Summertime Dream) looked like it has never been touched. For some reason, I am completely unfamiliar with his work, but see a lots of fans here so I thought it was meant to be. I guess it was not meant to be when I did not walk out with them Instead, I ended up with Emil Gilel’s interpretation of Beethoven’s 5th piano concert. MInt looking Angel Records straight from 1957, or 1958. One more Dvorak.s 9th symphony by Czech Philharmonic on Supraphon from, it seems, 1954. Also looking and sounding like new. Here lies the problem. After hearing them, I did not wish for better turntable, cartridge, or amplifier. I wished for CDs. Both records, as good as they could be given the time distance, are not the latest marvel of technology. |
Do you know of or remember this band @bdp24 .......... A-B-Skhy . I found their "Ramblin’ On" lp, MGM, a couple years ago. I think it’s probably an OP. They only put out two lps? From San Francisco. Dust "S/T" on Kama-Sutra......great album! Found all three Norman Greenbaum lps as WLP a couple years ago. |
Love this thread; thanks for creating. I’ve found some real gem first pressings in the last year. Brubeck’s Countdown — Time in Outer Space; yet another Abandoned Luncheonette; Gord’s Gold (compilations don’t usually sound good, this and Steely Dan Gold are exceptions); a white hot Jerry Mulligan; Randy Newman’s Sail Away. Excepting the white hot, all in the $6-15 range. No question, the world of old LPs is full of stuff that sounds better than any reissues could achieve. And no wonder; they were made from the master tapes when fresh. Tape doesn’t age so well. But for every gem I find on my own, I find several dogs. And that’s after limiting my buys to first gen catalog numbers. Which is a long way of saying what others here have said: Tom Port and his BetterRecords business perform a valuable service. What Tom might not like hearing: most of his selections are albums that were recorded and pressed well. Some of them almost always sound good. (I bought a white hot Rita Coolidge and — for science — I periodically buy the same LP in the $5 bin. That LP always sounds pretty good (not amazing, not even his WH) after ultrasonic cleaning). So, you can use his selection as a short list of “stuff that generally sounds good.” And then buy and clean a few of each at normal prices. It’s my way of throwing $20-30 at an LP he offers and seeing if I can find my own white hot (before spending $400 on it). And I definitely do. I also definitely cave on certain titles and buy from him. Capt Fantastic comes to mind. Or Sticky Fingers. Or several Steely Dan albums. But, if you like Al Stewart’s Year of the Cat or Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember ... , you can find a white hot for $7-10 after buying 3-4 of each. Because they are reliably good. This way of doing things creates a healthy discard pile. I try to support local dealers and give them away. They’re all worth at least $7 and have been ultrasonically cleaned. Feeds the karma wheel. |
Great idea Eric. As some here know, I’m a fan of period pressings, but it can be hit or miss. Especially via Discogs. But a couple months ago I found a guy on eBay selling a bunch of classical period releases. He states he used to own/run a record store, and these must be from his old inventory. He also states that all his offerings are minimum VG+. So, I took a chance a couple months ago and bought a few. Yep, the vinyl was mostly in VG+ to M- condition. The covers are pretty good too, but even when they look a bit more ragged, the vinyl has been in great shape. And the variety of selection was also great. His prices range from $4-$18+ (Mostly), but a ton in the $4-5 range, and he accepts reasonable offers, especially if you are buying in a batch. Thus, I bought another batch. All the same, all in great shape. And yesterday bought another, but this time purchased a couple more costly selections as a I knew I could trust the quality. I spent $52 with tax and shipping for 8 LP’s. And I have to imagine, all the vinyl will be in exquisite condition. Not bad. The other two orders were less. I’ve saved a bunch more I want. I should probably just ‘cut to the chase’ next time and buy all the LP’s I want, as I know there probably won’t be a lemon in the bunch, and really, hard to beat his asking/offer price. |
Congrats on finding your pot at the end of the rainbow. I’m a Brian Wilson fan too, but, as of a few years ago he can barely sing anymore. 6 months younger Johnny Rivers can still belt AND blast the same licks he did 50 years ago. AND he is not even in the Cleveland hall. https://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-johnny-rivers-easton-state-theatre-20151112-story.html "Rivers says his piano player, Larry Knechtel, "was a fan of that song and that record. And I remembered it, and he brought it up to me. He said, You ought to re-record ’Rockin Pneumonia.’ So we did and he played the piano on it and it was fabulous – that great piano solo on that thing, and it had a good feel." It was a Top 10 hit and helped revive Rivers’ career — and, indirectly, the career of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. To follow up, Rivers says he decided to cover The Beach Boys’ "Help Me, Rhonda." "I had gone to a Beach Boys concert … And the last song they did was ’Help Me Rhonda,’" Rivers says. "I was driving back to L.A. and that song kept going around in my head." The next day in the studio, he cut "kind of a funky R&B version of it, and it came out really good." All that was missing, Rivers says, "was that high harmony part that sounds like a falsetto – almost like a girl singing; the Brian Wilson part." Rivers says he played the song for a friend who knew Wilson, who called up the reclusive Beach Boy and played it for him. Wilson said he thought it would be a hit. "And I said, ’Your part is the only part missing, that high harmony. We got the studio tomorrow, why don’t you just come on down and throw that part on there?’ And I didn’t think he’d show up, but he did, and he did it in one take and it was absolutely perfect." Rivers says Wilson at the time was struggling with personal problems and was not recording with The Beach Boys. "Well that came out so good and it got on the charts — it was a Top 20 record — that it gave him the confidence to go back and start recording with The Beach Boys again," Rivers says. "So I think that’s one of the important things about that song and that recording. Not only that he sang on it, that it kind of got him going again."" |
Recently acquired a stellar collection of first pressing rock LPs that had been left untouched in storage since at least 1972 and never touched since. Every one looked as though they had been pressed, played a couple times and put away. No fading, spots, nothing. Bright, beautiful covers, glossy vinyl. Like straight out of a time capsule. After some cleaning with my Degritter, I spent the weekend spinning: -Jimi Hendrix Experience- Are You Experienced? - Tri-color Reprise Stereo -Jimi Hendrix Experience- Axis, Bold As Love- Tri-Color Reprise Stereo -The Pretty Things- Self Titled 1st LP- Fontana-Mono -Pink Floyd- Saucerful of Secrets- Tower- Stereo -Ten Years After- SHHH- Deram -Stereo -Savoy Brown Blues Band- Shake Down- Decca UK ffss- Stereo -ZZ Top- First Album- London-Stereo -T Rex- Electric Warrior- Reprise- Stereo Have another 8 or 9 to go through. Fantastic listening experience. |
I continually peruse used record stores no matter where I travel, in addition to the local shops here where I live. Always find the best stores in the cities I visit and get dirty fingers. I always try to cut to the chase and ask the same questions when I walk in the door - "Have any Mosaic Box Sets? Any original Folkways Blues LPs? Any thing on Takoma? Early Delmark blues?" But, I must admit, it must be a real rare find in great condition or just fun novelty (super bowl shuffle, anyone?) before I will buy it. There are just way to many incredibly sounding rereleases these days that are deserving of my money. New releases also don't make me cringe when a used LP pops & ticks across my high-end cartridge. I focus now mostly on labels. Anything pressed at QRP deserves a listen! Impex, MoFi, Music Matters and so on are starting to fill my selves. |
scchengmus where do you live? I'm in Plainfield, NJ. I go to Princeton and Bordentown has this very good store: http://www.the-record-collector.com/ also, a small collection in a cool shop other end of the block, same side of the street. visited this store in Milltown, NJ yesterday (very nice) https://revillagroovesandgear.com/ When I'm ready to sell at least 3,500 lps, I'll contact craig here first, then get bids from them. That store in Fords, I was VERY disappointed, it ain't for LP's unless they are hiding them. I met Bill from audiogon, he lives in Burlington, NJ. He came here, 2 masked visits, another time we went to Bordentown LP store/lunch together, we swapped some equipment. If you want to meet, send me a message. We have had both shots for a while now, things are getting easier here in NJ finally. |
"you have not heard Pet Sounds til you hear the AP version!" Yeah, "Pet Sounds" is the one album I may eventually just have to get the RI. Unobtanium, as far as finding a unmolested period mono. This LA press is somewhere in a Goodwill waiting for someone. https://www.discogs.com/The-Beach-Boys-Pet-Sounds/release/1354479 I presently have the first 4, and All Summer Long. "I lived there from June 1979 through Feb 2016. Burbank, Glendale, finally up in the foothills above Glendale" bdp24-as a' kid in the 60-70's that area seemed far removed from Long Beach-like another country! As you know, I'm not that far from where the Foothill Club in Signal Hill used to be. Area is unrecognizable now with condos, and million dollar houses on the hill. Did you ever play a gig at the Blue Cafe in downtown LB? It was small place where SRV did a couple gigs when he was coming up. Another cool place long gone. |
Someone in the What's on Your Turntable thread suggested Ernie Picks and Glen Sings (Tennessee Ernie Ford and Glen Campbell) as a follow up to a post I made about one of Glen Campbell's recordings. I was able to find a sealed copy for 13 bucks (including shipping) on Discogs and am glad I did! It was a wonderful performance and sounded great. I don't think I've been steered wrong by any of the suggestions in that thread (unless of course it was for artists I just don't care for or have no interest in). Hopefully this thread will be a similar resource. |
Great thread! Where do I start? I’ve got so many of these old records. Like the op I’ve got many Gordon lightfoot lp’s, many of which are still sealed! 3 sealed copies of if you could read my mind, sealed and opened copies of cold on the shoulder (one of his best!), sealed and open copies of Sundown, etc....I too own a copy of Delaney and Bonnie Home stax lp, still sealed. I will have to compile a list when I can... |
I wish I had a good LRS but I love in the middle of nowhere. Instagram has been a great place for me to buy records, particularly from a shop I used to frequent in Buffalo. Most recently I picked up from them the Robert Ludwig pressing of Zepplin II. It lives up to the hype. My father also decided to give me the rest of his records and he had 2 copies of Music from big Pink by the Band but they're so dirty. Cleaned them once using my Pro-Ject record cleaner but they might need an ultrasonic. Will have to find a place that has one. We occasionally go to Ithaca, NY where there's a great little record store and there I found Kulu Se Mama by Coltrane, an early 2nd pressing of the White Album from 68, and a great Jimmy Smith record with grant green on it, can't remember the name. Was a good haul that day. |
